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Home » Blog Recipe Posts » Instant Pot

Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot

June 1, 2019 by Sandy 30 Comments

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Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot is a fast and convenient way to thaw and cook a frozen block of ground beef. Use your pressure cooker to quickly cook frozen hamburger meat. Have cooked ground beef ready for your recipe!

Frozen Ground Beef in the Pressure Cooker

 

Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot

There are several Instant Pot® hacks that I really like. This is one of them. If you have ever forgotten to thaw out your pound of hamburger meat, and had your dinner plans messed up, then this hack is for you!

This method of cooking ground beef from frozen works with up to 2 pounds of meat (that I have tested so far). Go ahead and try it with more if you need to, though it may overcook the edges as the cook time will be longer.

Cooked Ground Beef on trivet in pressure cooker

Helpful Tips for Cooking Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot

  • Before you freeze the meat, remove the plastic pad thing on the bottom. They are a pain to take off while frozen!
  • Use the trivet. Unless you want to boil the hamburger meat, set it on the trivet, up out of the water.
  • Natural Release for a few minutes to help the meat retain more moisture.

Why Didn't My Hamburger Cook Completely?

    Possible reasons why your ground beef may not be completely cooked through after using this method:

  • How thick was the frozen meat? If thicker than what I show in the photos, add some cook time.
  • More than 2 pounds – Add some cook time if you are cooking more than 2 pounds.
  • High Pressure – Be sure to set your IP to High Pressure.
  • Natural Release – Don't skip the Natural Release time.
  • If your meat is still a little raw after cooking with this method, you can put the lid back on and cook a couple minutes more, or drain the water and add the meat back into the pot and sauté it for a few minutes, stirring and breaking up the meat.

This post contains Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When the meat is cooked, I move it to a plate to break it up. This Farberware 5211438 Professional Heat Resistant Nylon Meat/Potato Masher (affiliate) is my favorite tool to use! You can also use it for uncooked meat that you are cooking in your pot.

If you don't already have a trivet with handles, here is a good one: Steamer Rack Trivet with Heat Resistant Silicone Handles (affiliate).

See my Instant Pot Accessories post for more ideas!

Cooked Ground Beef on gray plate in front of pressure cooker

Does This Work With Frozen Ground Turkey?

Yes it does! It is important to check the internal temperature if you are not going to cook it further after using this method. It should be 165° F.

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Watch the video to see how easy it is to cook frozen ground beef in the Instant Pot!

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5 from 13 votes
Frozen Ground Beef on trivet in a pressure cooker
Print
Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
32 mins
Natural Release
10 mins
Total Time
47 mins
 

The Instant Pot is a fast and convenient way to thaw and cook a frozen block of ground beef. Use your pressure cooker to quickly cook frozen hamburger meat and have cooked ground beef ready for your recipe!

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to cook frozen ground beef in the pressure cooker
Servings: 6 - 8
Calories: 205 kcal
Author: Sandy Clifton
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Water (6-qt pot, 2 cups for 8-qt)
  • 1 - 2 lbs Frozen Ground Beef
Instructions
  1. Place the metal trivet /rack into the pot and add the water.

  2. Place the frozen block of ground beef on the trivet.

  3. Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.

  4. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select cook time in minutes. High Pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.

    For 1 lb of meat, cook for 28 minutes, for 2 lbs cook for 32 minutes. SEE NOTES.

  5. When the cook cycle has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 10 minutes (10 minute natural release). Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining steam/pressure.

  6. When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid.

  7. Remove the trivet with the cooked meat on it and move the meat to a plate. The meat will stay in the shape of a block.

  8. Use a fork or chopper/stirrer utensil to break up the meat.

  9. Now you can use the meat in your recipe!

Recipe Notes

In some cases, the meat may not cook all the way through, but it should be mostly thawed and you can drain the water, then sauté it if you need it fully cooked.

If your meat block is thick, you may need to add a couple more minutes to the cook time, and let it naturally release  5 minutes longer.

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  1. FreyaFL

    October 19, 2023 at 4:07 am

    Thank you for these instructions! This works great for ground turkey. In fact, because I can start it and walk away and the the outside is all nicely browned, I now prefer cooking ground meat like this better than in the frying pan now. I have found 20 minutes with a quick release is perfect, then I drain the liquid (unless I need it for some reason, like with tacos), turn on the sauté function, and it finishes cooking while I'm chopping and seasoning the meat. So quick!

    Reply
    • Sandy

      October 20, 2023 at 2:42 pm

      That's great! We use a lot of ground turkey!

      Reply
  2. Henry

    September 14, 2023 at 10:11 pm

    This worked for me even without using a trivet. I just added a little olive oil to the pot before I added the meat and water to make sure the meat wouldn't stick to the bottom.

    Reply
  3. Lori

    March 11, 2023 at 6:07 pm

    My meat was in a thicker block than the photo so I cooked it longer. Worked perfectly.

    Reply
  4. Emily

    December 06, 2022 at 5:15 pm

    I feel like my IP should’ve come with a trivet, but I can’t find it anywhere? Can I do it without?

    Reply
    • Sandy

      April 24, 2023 at 12:05 pm

      Yes, I think it should have! You can make one with foil balls that sit in the pot with the meat on them to elevate it out of the water.

      Reply
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Hi there! I’m Sandy - foodie with a passion for cooking and sharing my tasty recipes. My hubby Paul, our Pug Gizmo, and I live in Washington.

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Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot
Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot
How to cook Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot